Converted mana cost

The converted mana cost (abbreviated as CMC) of a card is an integer figure. It is determined by converted each colored mana symbols in the cards cost. Each of the common mana symbols convert to 1 each. The Hybrid Mana symbols () convert to 2. This converted cost is then added to the colorless mana cost of the card (if there is one).

For example, a card with a mana cost of and both have a converted mana cost of 2.

A card with a symbol as a part of its mana cost can vary the converted mana cost while the card is on the stack, by allowing the CMC to be increased by the amount of mana chosen for the variable cost. In other game zones, is treated as .

202.1. A card’s mana cost is indicated by mana symbols near the top of the card. (See rule 107.4.) On most cards, these symbols are printed in the upper right corner. Some cards from the Future Sight set have alternate frames in which the mana symbols appear to the left of the illustration.

202.1a The mana cost of an object represents what a player must spend from his or her mana pool to cast that card. Unless an object’s mana cost includes Phyrexian mana symbols (see rule 107.4f), paying that mana cost requires matching the type of any colored or colorless mana symbols as well as paying the generic mana indicated in the cost.

202.1b Some objects have no mana cost. This normally includes all land cards, any other cards that have no mana symbols where their mana cost would appear, tokens (unless the effect that creates them specifies otherwise), and nontraditional Magic cards. Having no mana cost represents an unpayable cost (see rule 117.6). Note that lands are played without paying any costs (see rule 305, “Lands”).

202.2. An object is the color or colors of the mana symbols in its mana cost, regardless of the color of its frame.

202.2a The five colors are white, blue, black, red, and green. The white mana symbol is represented by , blue by , black by , red by , and green by .

Example: An object with a mana cost of is white, an object with a mana cost of is generic, and one with a mana cost of is both white and black.

202.2b Objects with no colored mana symbols in their mana costs are generic.

202.2c An object with two or more different colored mana symbols in its mana cost is each of the colors of those mana symbols. Most multicolored cards are printed with a gold frame, but this is not a requirement for a card to be multicolored.

202.2d An object with one or more hybrid mana symbols and/or Phyrexian mana symbols in its mana cost is all of the colors of those mana symbols, in addition to any other colors the object might be. (Most cards with hybrid mana symbols in their mana costs are printed in a two-tone frame. See rule 107.4e.)

202.2e An object may have a color indicator printed to the left of the type line. That object is each color denoted by that color indicator. (See rule 204.)

202.2f Effects may change an object’s color, give a color to a colorless object, or make a colored object become colorless; see rule 105.3.

202.3. The converted mana cost of an object is a number equal to the total amount of mana in its mana cost, regardless of color.

Example: A mana cost of translates to a converted mana cost of 5.

202.3a The converted mana cost of an object with no mana cost is 0, unless that object is the back face of a double-faced permanent.

202.3b The converted mana cost of a double-faced permanent’s back face is calculated as though it had the mana cost of its front face. This is a change from previous rules. If a permanent is a copy of the back face of a double-faced card (even if the card representing that copy is itself a double-faced card), the converted mana cost of that permanent is 0.

Example: Huntmaster of the Fells is a double-faced card with mana cost . Its converted mana cost is 4. After it transforms to its other face (Ravager of the Fells), its converted mana cost remains 4.

Example: A Clone enters the battlefield as a copy of Ravager of the Fells. Its converted mana cost is 0.

Example: Insectile Aberration is the back face of a double-faced card whose front face has mana cost . It becomes a copy of Ravager of the Fells. Its converted mana cost becomes 0.

202.3c When calculating the converted mana cost of an object with an in its mana cost, X is treated as 0 while the object is not on the stack, and X is treated as the number chosen for it while the object is on the stack.

202.3d When calculating the converted mana cost of an object with a hybrid mana symbol in its mana cost, use the largest component of each hybrid symbol.

202.4. Any additional cost listed in an object’s rules text or imposed by an effect isn’t part of the mana cost. (See rule 601, “Casting Spells.”) Such costs are paid at the same time as the spell’s other costs.